Ch. 209: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 209

Chapter 209

If Norah had been like Secretary White—content with her role—things might have worked out. But Norah wanted more. She craved Kevin’s love, not just his companionship.

Continuing on this path would only bring more conflict, eroding even the fondest memories they once shared.

"Norah..." Kevin's voice trembled with emotion. But the drug was taking hold faster than he could resist. His gaze locked on hers, desperate and accusing. "You're leaving me... for your Anthony, aren't you?"

Norah didn’t respond. Instead, she hesitantly reached out, brushing her hand against his face. His fierce eyes softened for a moment, and she searched his features, hoping to find even a shadow of Anthony within him.

But Kevin wasn’t Anthony. He had long since left behind the reckless, passionate boy who had once captured her heart.

Her mind drifted back to their shared history. She remembered the blood-soaked day when Kevin had risked everything for her—saving her from gangsters and getting seriously injured in the process. She had owed him her life back then, but over the years, she had repaid that debt in full.

Her connection to Kevin spanned seven years, but her devotion to Anthony had lasted twice as long.

It was a hot afternoon when she first truly saw Anthony.

The school was putting on a drama performance, and Norah, assigned a minor role, was eager to perfect her lines. She arrived at the auditorium half an hour early, as always.

The sharp smell of blood hit her the moment she stepped inside. Alarmed, she followed the scent into the backstage dressing room, where costumes hung in chaotic rows.

In the corner, hidden behind layers of fabric, she found him.

Lying there, pale and barely conscious, Anthony’s body was streaked with blood. A knife wound to his abdomen was the culprit—thankfully shallow, but enough to put him in danger if untreated.

"Don't... let anyone know," he’d whispered hoarsely, grabbing her wrist with surprising strength.

Even in her panic, she obeyed. She bandaged his wound with trembling hands, spraying disinfectant to mask the metallic tang of blood. All the while, her heart pounded with fear and admiration for this mysterious, wounded boy.

Later, she checked on him, but Anthony had vanished without a trace. No blood. No evidence. Just the faint red mark his grip had left on her arm.

Anthony became her secret. Her obsession. Her impossible dream.

Norah blinked back to the present, her eyes settling on Kevin’s half-lidded gaze. He was no longer the boy who had once made her heart race.

“Anthony doesn’t matter anymore,” she murmured. “We’re even now. Neither of us owes the other anything.”

Her words were a quiet farewell.

Kevin fought to stay awake, his voice slurred with exhaustion. "Don’t go, Norah..." His fingers weakly grasped her sleeve.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she gently pried his hand away. "Thank you for the past seven years, Kevin. But you’ll be fine without me. There’s always a Secretary White waiting for you—a woman who can care for you the way I can’t anymore."

His body gave out, and he slumped unconscious in his chair.

Norah finished her juice, clinking her glass against his one last time, and whispered, "Goodbye."

She left a divorce agreement on the table, alongside two tickets to France—not for her and Kevin, but for him and Bianca. A symbolic gesture, granting him the chance to find happiness with someone else.

Gathering her luggage, Norah walked out of the house, leaving behind the life they had built together.

The next morning, Kevin woke with a pounding headache. The memories of the night before flooded back, and his stomach twisted.

"Mr. Edwards!" Kian’s voice broke through his daze. "Are you alright? Should we take you to the hospital?"

Kevin waved him off, his eyes scanning the room. The warmth of Norah’s presence was gone.

"She’s really gone," Kian said softly, noticing the emptiness in the house.

Kevin’s jaw tightened. His voice was cold, detached. "She drugged me... just to leave."

"Mr. Edwards, you knew she was planning something," Kian pointed out. "And yet, you walked straight into her trap."

Kevin said nothing, his thoughts spiraling. He had let her go, even knowing she didn’t want to stay. But her final smile—the forced kindness—had cut him deeply.

He glanced at the divorce papers and tickets on the table, his expression hardening. With a scoff, he stood. "Clean this up. I’m going to the office."

Kian hesitated. "Don’t you want to go after her?"

Kevin’s icy glare silenced him. "No."

And just like that, Kevin returned to his routine. Suit pressed, schedule intact, life moving forward as though Norah had never been a part of it.

Days passed, each one eerily quiet.

Then, the investigator Kevin had hired returned. "Mr. Edwards, I’ve found Ms. White. Her recent activities suggest she’s hiding something important—something you need to know."

Kevin didn’t flinch. His tone was sharp. "I don’t care. She’s irrelevant now."

The investigator hesitated, reluctant to let the matter drop. "But, sir—this secret might change everything."